Furniture construction



S. KARSAKOV ET AL FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Nov. 23, 19,43. 2,334,934

Filed Feb. 9, 1942 j A @f INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 23, 1943 FURNITURE CONSTRUCTION Solly Karsakov and GeorgeA. Kramer, Springfield, Mass., assignors to Berkshire UpholsteredFurniture Co., Springfield, Mass., a corporation of MassachusettsApplication February 9, 1942, Serial No. 430,032

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture construction and isdirected more particularly to an article of furniture such as a couch ordavenport which is converted into a bed.

The principal objects of the invention is the provision of an article offurniture in the form of a convertible couch and bed that ischaracterized by its simplicity of form so as to be economical toproduce and, at the same time, rigid and strong but relatively light inweight and easily and readily converted. The invention may be applied toa chair where the seat and back are relatively shiftable.

The novel features of the invention are adapted for broad applicationwherever it is desired to convert an article of furniture from one formto another and the novel characteristics are adapted for producingfurniture from various materials as well as furniture that may vary inshape, style and dimensions.

In the drawing:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are small scale diagrammatic end views showing theprincipal elements of the structure of the invention in various relativepositions;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the supporting frame of the structure;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the structure of the constructionof the invention;

Fig. 6 is an end elevational view of the structure shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional elevational view of the structure shownin Figs. 5 and 6; and

Fig. 8 is a partial inverted plan view of the seat part of the furniturestructure.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, the invention'will be fullydescribed.

The principal elements of the furniture construction includes asupporting frame 2, a seat section 4 and a back section B that aremovable relative to one another.

In Fig. 1 the seat section 4 is shown as resting on the frame 2 with theback 6 in back-supporting position. These members 4 and 6 aresimultaneously movable from the position shown in Fig. 1 to and throughan intermediate position shown in Fig. 2 to a bed forming position shownin Fig. 3.

The frame 2 has end members 8 and front and back members H) and l2suitably secured together and there may be longitudinal or transverseelements extending between those shown to provide stilness and rigidity.All this will be within the skill of one skilled in the art.

The seat section 4 includes end members such as I4 and front and backmembers l5 and I8 all suitably secured together with such otherlongitudinal or transverse members as may be desired. The seat section 4is adapted to rest on the frame in seat-forming position or bed formingposition and to be moved relative to the frame between said positions.

The back section G has end members 2li and top and bottom longitudinalmembers 22 and 24 suitably secured together with such other longitudinalor transverse members as may be desired.

The seat and back sections are provided with springs, upholstering andcovering material not lshown and the frame is provided with such paddingand covering material as may be desired. The form and construction ofthe padding, springs, upholstering, covering and the like form no partof the present invention.

Means are provided on the seat and back sections for the springs, etc.,and may be made to accommodate said springs and upholstering. In theform of the invention shown for such a purpose there are blocks 3i) and32 Xed to the seat section and blocks 34 and 3&5 are fixed to the backsection, the said blocks and 32 being omitted in Figs. 5 and 7 forclearness. Hinge means 38 are secured to the blocks 32 and 34 of theseat and back sections to facilitate relative swinging movements of thesections.

Lock members are slidable in the blocks 32 and are arranged so thattheir rear ends may project beyond the blocks 32 beneath the backsection as shown in Fig. 6. As shown with the seat section resting onthe frame the back is held in the back supporting position shown.

A longitudinal member 42 is secured to the locks and a manuallyengageable handle member 44 is carried thereby that extends through aslot 46 of a transverse member 48 of the seat section, see Fig. 8. Bygrasping the handle member 44 the member 42 is moved outwardly towithdraw the locks from engagement with the back section.

Forward and inner or front and back guides 50 and 52 are carried at eachend of the seat section on the lower side thereof and are spaced apartto receive therebetween the front member I0 of the frame when the seatsection is in position shown in Fig. '7. The outer or forward end ofguides 50 abut the rear side of frame member Ill when the seat is in theposition shown in Fig. 6. Also in this position the end of members 52abut stops 56 associated with frame 2. The guides 50 and 52 are insubstantially the same plane and are adapted to slide against the innersides of the end member 8 of the frame when the seat section moves onthe frame.

Stop means which may be in the form of flexible strap Gil have oppositeends secured to the frame 2 and to the back section 6. This limitsmovement of the seat section 4 from the position shown in Fig. 6 to thatshown in Fig. 7 and facilitates movement of the section from theposition shown in Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 3.

A manually engageable handle member 60 is slidable in a bracket 62secured to the forward under side of the seat section and a recess isprovided in the front face of frame member I0. In moving the sectionsfrom couch-forming position shown in Fig. 1 the member 6U is grasped andthe sections simultaneously swung clockwise and moved forwardly to anintermediate position approximately as shown in Fig. 2.

The members 60' limit the forward movement of the sections relative tothe frame and when in intermediate position the member 42 of the seatsection is moved upwardly by manipulation of member 44 so as to withdrawlocks 40 upwardly from engagement with the seat section. Then the seatsection is lowered by swinging counterclockwise so that the front memberl of the frame is received between guides 59 and 52 of the seat as shownin Fig. '7 where the seat and back are in substantial parallel bedforming position shown in Fig. 3. Y

To move the sections from bed forming position the seat section is swungupwardly clockwise when Vthe locks drop between the seat and backsections to the position of Fig. 6` Then the seat is swungcounterclockwise and simultaneously moved rearwardly of the frame to ahorizontal rest position at the rear thereof whereupon the guides 52abut stops 55 and the forward ends of guides 50 abut the inner face offrame member lil.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departingfrom the essential characteristics thereof. Hence, the presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects merely asbeing illustrative and not as being restrictive, the scope of theinvention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by theforegoing description, and all modifications and variations as fallwithin the meaning and purview and range of equivalency of the appendedclaims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates is:

l. Furniture construction comprising in combination, a frame, a seatsection and a back section slidable on said frame, hinged connectionsbetween adjacent sides of said sections whereby said sections aremovable simultaneously on said frame between bed and seat formingpositions and are relatively swingable between bed and seat formingrelations, releasable manually operable locking means slidable in theseat section engageable with the back section to hold the latter in seatforming relation relative to the former in either bed or seat formingpositions of the sections, and stop means carried by the seat sectionengageable with said frame to releasably hold said sections againstmovement in seat and bed forming relation, said locking means includinga member slidable in the seat section for positioning beneath andsupporting the back section when the said sections are in seat formingposition.

2. Furniture construction comprising in cornbination, a frame, a seatsection and a back section slidable on said frame, hinged connectionsbetween adjacent sides of said seat and back sections whereby saidsections are movable simultaneously on said frame between bed and seatforming positions and are relatively swingable between bed and seatforming relations, release able manually operable locking means slidablein the seat section engageable with the back section to hold the latterin seat forming relation relative to the former in either bed or seatforming positions of the sections, and stop means carried by the seatsection engaging said frame to releasably hold said sections againstmovement in seat and bed forming position, said locking means includingmembers slidable in the seat section at opposite ends thereof forpositioning beneath and supporting opposite ends of the back sectionwhen said sections are in seat forming position and connections betweensaid members to facilitate simultaneous operation thereof.

3. Furniture construction comprising in combination, a frame, a seatsection and a back section slidable on said frame, hinged connectionsbetween adjacent sides of said sections whereby said sections aremovable simultaneously on said frame between bed and seat formingpositions and are relatively swingable between bed and seat formingrelations, releasable manually operable locking means slidable in theseat section engageable with the back section to hold the latter in seatforming relation relative to the former, and stop means carried by theseat section engaging said frame to releasably hold said sectionsagainst movement in seat and bed forming position, said stop meansincluding separate blocks associated with said seat section spaced apartto engage a part of said frame therebetween when the sec-i tions are inbed forming position and arranged to abut spaced parts of the frame whenthe sections are in seat forming position.

SOLLY KARSAKOV. GEORGE A. KRAMER,

